All the Shuttle Missions in 8 Minutes

End of the Shuttle Era

I remember making a space shuttle cockpit simulator out of tinker toys back in the early '80s after watching the first launch of Columbia. Now, with little fanfare, the shuttle program is over. After over 30 years, there will be no more shuttles or shuttle launches. I'm kind of sad about that.

There were a LOT of shuttle missions. Even with the gaps after the tragic accidents in '86 and '02, the shuttle program managed to fly more than 4 times a year for a total of 35 more missions than the intended 100.

However, the shuttle program was never really that great. A lot of science was done on those missions, but was it done efficiently? Imagine all the science that could have been done in those 30 years if we had chosen a cheaper launch vehicle which was less complicated and could be reconfigured to be even more cost effective.

What's next? The government has a shuttle-looking craft that it can launch for long duration flights, but there have been no indications that it is manned. And it wouldn't be for science, or at least not the the kind of science that benefits everyone.

For the first time in half a century, America has no way to send men into space. That is depressing.

But there is hope.

The hope is private industry. There are currently several ventures attempting manned space flight. Some have reached the boundary of space. Soon, no doubt, we will see private citizens going into space, simply for the thrill.

New species

New species: "The 10 most striking new species discovered last year"

Breaking rules makes you seem powerful

Breaking rules makes you seem powerful: "When people have power, they act the part. Powerful people smile less, interrupt others and speak in a louder voice. When people do not respect the basic rules of social behavior, they lead others to believe that they have power, according to a new study."

That explains how most politicians get elected.

Space Shuttle Memories

25 years ago, today, I sat in a classroom at Westside Junior High School, lights out, waiting for the coverage of the space shuttle Challenger to come back on after a commercial. A school teacher was being sent into space. It was considered an educational experience for us to watch the launch, so, lights dimmed, we sat watching TVs in our classrooms.

When the coverage returned, a frenetic tone could be detected in the announcers voices. I can't remember exactly what was said, but it was something to the effect of, "There has been an anomaly." Then, they started replaying the footage of the shuttle coming apart.

One of our teachers, I think it was Mrs. Stewart, began trying to reassure us, saying something about it being an event we'd always remember, but that we were more likely to be killed in a car accident than in a space shuttle accident. Having just seen the shuttle apparently blow up and kill all of the astronauts on board, that wasn't much of a reassurance, but it did help a little.

Over time, we stopped talking about it. Two years later, another shuttle launch took place, and, in short order, launches were back to their pre-Challenger rate.

Now, nearing the twilight of the shuttle program, and 7 years past a second shuttle disaster, we face uncertainty. What will take astronauts into space? There are ideas, but no specific solutions. Perhaps the private sector will supply the answers. There WILL be something, though. Man will always seek reach into the unknown and discover its mysteries.

Super Colliders - What's the Big Deal?

All they were talking about on the radio this morning was the new 17 mile super collider built in Europe somewhere. I couldn't help but think about the 54 mile super collider, known as the SSC, partially built in Texas back in the 1980s and early '90s, that was never finished. If it had been finished, it would have been far more powerful than it's European counterpart. 14 miles had already been constructed when Congress cut off the funding for the Reagan-era science project in 1993. Billions had already been spent on the construction. To many, it was seen as a sign that America was losing ground in it's technological and scientific supremacy.

Others, however, saw it's defeat as a victory for taxpayers. If this scientific question needed to be answered, the market would answer it. It didn't cost billions of taxpayer dollars for Edison to develop the light-bulb. Edison invested his own time, money and energy, as the market allowed. Most innovation is done at the private level. Yes, taxpayers funded the space race, but that was a part of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The space race had a sense of national urgency. With the Cold War over, why should government fund an endeavour that bore no immediacy?

Basically, all the collider will do is prove theoretical concepts already accepted by many as fact. The colliders are searching for several particles as yet unseen by man. The most important of these is the 'Higgs' particle. If this "God Particle" is found by Europeans, it will be a matter of pride for them. It probably won't be an Earth-shattering event, but it will be an important step in science. It is also possible that the collider will create a small black hole. Still, these are concepts accepted by most scientists, already. Having a record of their existence will be important, but isn't completely necessary.